The Project aims to remove transport barriers and reduce transport and logistics costs, and thereby propmote pro-poor economic and social development in the poverty-sticken project area between Yichang and Wanzhou, through the construction and operation of a new 377-km railway.

Project Outcome

Outcome

Progress Toward Outcome

A railway system that reduces transport bottlenecks on the national network, increases transportation capacity of the corridor, and lowers transport costs.

The project has achieved its main objectives of removing transport barriers, reducing transport and logistics costs, and promoting pro-poor economic and social development in the poverty-stricken regions. The construction and operation of YWR has significantly contributed to regional socioeconomic development.

Established.
Equipment installed for telecommunication, signal, electrification, and traffic control system were found in good condition. A centralized train control system is established and operating command is provided in Wuhan Railway Administration and Chengdu Railway Administration.
The whole line of 377 km was completed by 30 November 2010. Provisional acceptance was issued by MOR on 25 November 2010. Trial operation started on 22 December 2010.
The track laying started from the Yichang end in June 2008, and from the Wanzou end in November 2008 and completed in August 2010. Buildings and ancillary facilities were implemented simultaneously to match the implementation schedule of subgrade works. Buildings construction, electrification, signaling, and telecommunication works were completed in October 2010.
Ten new railway stations have been constructed; in addition to the existing Yichang Station and Wanzhou Station were expanded under the Project. Most station access and link roads were completed, and public bus services are provided at all the stations. In addition, construction access roads of 600 km were handed over to the local governments, and most of them became the main roads in remote mountainous areas benefiting local communities.
Completed. The completed consulting services under ADB financing have satisfied the purpose.
The EA confirmed that the environmental management plan (EMP) and monitoring program have been implemented during construction and adverse environmental impacts have been mitigated effectively.

Geographical Location

Hubei Province and Chongqing Municipality

Safeguard Categories

Environment

A

Resettlement

A

Indigenous People

B

Stakeholder Communication, Participation and Consultation

During Project Design

Public consultations involved people living in the project area. Social assessment investigations began in 2001. Meetings with local people and a survey of 200 respondents for environmental issues were conducted in September 2001. FSDI held meetings with local officials and interviewed 774 randomly selected households of potentially affected people in March 2002. Under the project preparatory technical assistance (PPTA), the consultants carried out further consultations and surveys of 250 households and 33 villages along the alignment between June and September 2002. They found that the local people could benefit from low-cost, safe, and reliable transport services. From January to March 2003, further participatory investigations were undertaken to study the resettlement concerns of the most severely affected villages in the proposed station areas, particularly the concerns of vulnerable groups, such as the poor, households with female heads and ethnic minority groups.